the businessman striding ahead.
Here, it was just like the Lord Mayor. The businessman stopped short, dismayed, as if he had confidently expected the gate to open mechanically for him. When it simply stayed shut, his face turned down to the small informer-man, and this one bustled forward. He did something tapped out a code? but Ann could not see what. The gate still did not open. This made the small man angry. He raised a fist as if he was going to hit the gate. At this, the tall man in the camel coat seemed to feel they had waited long enough. He strolled forward, put the informer-man gently but firmly out of the way, and simply went on strolling towards the gate. At the point where it looked as if he would crash into the peeling black boards, the gate swung open, sharply and quickly for him. Ann had a feeling that the stones of the wall would have done that too if the man had wanted it so.
The three went inside and the gate shut after them.
Ann could not rid herself of the feeling that she had just seen the most important thing yet. She expected them to come out quite soon, probably with Harrison under arrest. But she fell asleep still waiting.
Much later that morning there was a violent hailstorm. It woke Ann, and she woke completely well again. For a moment, she lay and stared at thick streams of ice running down the window, melting in new, bright sunlight. She felt so well that it stunned her. Then her eyes shifted to the mirror. Through the reflected melting ice, the road shone bright enough to make her eyes water. But there in the parking bay, mounded with white hailstones, stood the businessmans grey car. window.yaContextCb.push(() => { Ya.Context.AdvManager.render({ "blockId": "R-A-435267-32", "renderTo": "yandex_rtb_R-A-435267-32" }) }) Theyre still in there! she thought. It is a Bermuda triangle! She was getting out of bed as she thought this. Her body knew it was well and it just had to move whether she told it to or not. It had needs. God! Ann exclaimed. Im hungry! She tore downstairs and ate two bowls of cornflakes. Then, while a new hailstorm clattered on the windows, she fried herself bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes and eggs as much as the pan would hold. As she was carrying it to the table, Mum hurried through from the shop, alerted by the smell. Youre feeling better? Oh, I am! said Ann. So better that Im going out as soon as Ive eaten this. Mum looked from the mounded frying pan to the window. The weathers not But the hail had gone by then. Bright sunlight was slicing through the smoke from Anns fry-up and the sky was deep, clear blue. Bang goes Mums excuse, Ann thought, grinning as she wolfed down her mushrooms. Nothing had ever tasted so good! Well, youre not to overdo it, Mum said. Remember youve been poorly for a long time. Youre to wrap up warm and be back for lunch. I shall obey, o great fusspot, Ann said, with her mouth full. Lunch, or I shall call the police, said Mum. And dont wear jeans theyre not nearly warm enough. The weather at this time of year Fuss-great-potest, Ann said lovingly, beginning on the bacon. Pity there had been no room in the pan for fried bread. Im not a baby. Two layers of thermal underwear satisfy you? Since when have you had? Oh, I can see youre better! Mum said happily. A vest anyway, to please me. Vests, Ann said, quoting a badge that Martin often wore, are what teenagers wear when their mothers feel cold. Youre cold. You keep that shop freezing. You know we have to keep the veg fresh, Mum retorted, and she went back into the shop laughing. The sun felt really hot. When she finished eating, Ann went upstairs and dressed as she saw fit: the tight woolly skirt, so that Mum would see she was not wearing jeans, a summery top, and her nice anorak over that, zipped right up so that she looked wrapped up. Then she scudded down and through the shop, calling, Bye, everyone! before either of her parents could get loose from customers and interrogate her. Dont go too far! Dads powerful voice followed her. I wont! Ann called back. Truthfully. She had it all worked out. There was no point trying to work the device that opened that gate. If she tried to climb it, someone would notice and stop her. Besides, if everyone who went into the farm never came out, it would be stupid to go in there and vanish too. Mum and Dad really would throw fits. But there was nothing to stop Ann climbing
a tree in Banners Wood and taking a look over the wall from there.
Get a close look at that van, if its still there, the King agreed. Im rather anxious to know who owns it.
Ann frowned and gave a sort of nod. There was something about this weighing-scale logo. It made her four people talk to her when she had not actually started to imagine them. She didnt like that. It made her wonder again whether she was mad. She went slowly down Wood Street and even more slowly past the expensive car parked in the bay. There were drifts of half-thawed hailstones under it still. As she passed behind it, Ann trailed a finger along the cars smooth side. It was cold and wet and shiny and hard and very very real. This was not just a fever-dream she had imagined in the mirror. She had seen three men arrive here this morning.